New research suggests meters will not necessarily cut household energy bills
Installing smart meters in homes may not reduce energy costs, according to a new study.
Smart meters are an integral part of the government’s plan to reduce carbon emissions by improving energy efficiency.
However, new research has suggested that the devices will not necessarily reduce households’ energy use.
The findings of the research, by a scientist from the University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute, are revealed in the journal Building Research and Information.
Scientist Sarah Darby said that smart meters could help users reduce energy use only if they provided adequate feedback, which many such devices did not.
Real-time electricity displays are crucial in providing feedback, and while UK government plans are for meters with such displays, those without them are common in Europe.
The UK government plans to install smart meters in more than 27 million homes over the next decade.
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